Having got a new state, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s K Chandrasekhara Rao is in unique position to script Telangana’s future politics.
1. Though the Congress is pushing for a merger, a section in K Chandrasekhara Rao’s TRS feels an immediate merger would result in either the TDP or the BJP moving into the second party?s space.
2. The TDP has a significant presence in the newly-created state of Telangana, one of the reasons for its nuanced stand on the division. It has never openly opposed the division and kept chanting the ?Justice for Seemandhra? slogan. K Chandrasekhara Rao must ensure space not made available to rival.
3. BJP, which facilitated the passage of the Telangana bill in Parliament, too hopes to make inroads into the region. With Narendra Modi wave sweeping nation, KCR would not want another charismatic leader to invade the new state.
4. The TRS will have to bargain hard with Congress for the lion?s share of seats ? 75 of 119 ? in the new assembly when the two parties officially begin talks.
5. TRS does not want to be in position to depend on the Congress for formation of the government.
6. It is not yet clear whether the assembly and Lok Sabha polls will coincide. For the latter, K Chandrasekhara Rao may eye 8:8 arrangement with the 17th seat, Hyderabad, given to the AIMIM. Some TRS sources, however, indicated they would be willing to settle for 6:10.
